Clothes cleansing and fluid extracting apparatus having a flexible clothes squeezingdiaphragm



Nov. 30, 1948. 'r. P. CALHOUN 2,455,043

CLOTHES CLEANSING AND FLUID EXTRACTING APPARATUS HAVING A FLEXIBLE CLOTHES SQUEEZING DIAPHRAGM Flled Aprll 5, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet l 3maentor T. P. CALHOUN 2,455,043- CLOTHES CLEANSING AND FLUID EXTRACI'ING APPARATUs Nov. 30, 1948.

HAVING A FLEXIBLE CLOTHES SQUEEZING DIAPHRAGM Filed April 5, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 3nnentot T. P. ALHOUN 2,455,043 CLOTHES CLEANSING AND LUID EXTRACTING APPARATps HAVING A FLEXIBLE CLOTHES SQUEEZING DIAPHRAGM Filed April 5, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. 30, 19

Nov.30, 1948. 'r. P. CALHOUN 2,455,043

CLOTHES CLEANSING AND FLUID EXTRACTING APPARATUS HAVING- A FLEXIBLE CLOTHES SQUEEZING DIAPHRAGM Filed April 5, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Smaentor @119? 1? (011201112 attorney Vliilltllli I Federated Nov. 30, E948 CLOTHES CLEANSING AND FLUID EXTRACT- ENG APPARATUS HAVING A FLEXIBLE CLOTHES SQUEEZING DIAPHRAGM Taylor P. Calhoun, Worcester, Mass; Ann E. Calhoun administratrix of said Taylor P. Calhoun,

deceased Application April 5, 1946, Serial No. 659,792

12 Claims.

This invention relates to laundry apparatus and more particularly to apparatus in which clothes may be bothcleansed and freed from the cleansing fluid.

It has been suggested that washing or rinsing water may be squeezed from clothes by means of a flexible rubber diaphragm operated by hydraulic pressure. In order to avoid the use of two separate pieces of apparatus, one .in which the clothes are washed and the other serving for squeezing the wash water from the clothes transferred thereto, it is desirable to incorporate a squeezing device in a clothes washing apparatus. It has accordingly been proposed to install an oscillating paddle or agitator in the bottom of the clothes squeezing apparatus; but this has required placing the diaphragm in the upper part of the casing and then squeezing the clothes down against the paddle, with the possibility of the paddle preventing proper contact of the diaphragm with the clothes or of injuring the clothes in so doing. Similarly, any attempt at placing bailies or fins on the inner periphery of a rotating drum for the purpose of agitating the clothes involves the same problem of squeezing the clothes against the baffles or of injuring the diaphragm by forcing it against a rigid baflle. Another construction has involved oscillating the entire container and water so as to produce an agitating motion of the clothes within the fluid relative to a baiile on the diaphragm; but the oscillation of the entire load ofthe casing and its contained fluid involves serious problems inherent in the momentum and inertia of such a large mass. Hence, the problem of applying a squeeze diaphragm to a clothes fashing machine has not heretofore been satisfactorily solved.

The primary object of this invention is to overcome such problems and to provide a combination cleansing and squeezing apparatus in which clothes may be properly cleaned in a suitable fluid, and while still in the same machine the fluid may be squeezed therefrom without injuring either the clothes or the squeezing diaphragm.

A furtherobject of the invention is to provide an apparatus in which a flexible diaphragm is arranged to squeeze clothes against one wall of the casing and a fluid impelling and clothes agitating device is so located relative to another wall that it does not interfere with the operation of the squeezing diaphragm or permit injury of the clothes.

A still further object is to provide such an apparatus with a fluid impeller which is so constructed that it may be automatically moved by the diaphragm from an operative to an inoperative relationship with the fluid and to a position where it cannot interfere materially with the clothes squeezing movement of the diaphragm.

Another object is to provide a fluid impelling and clothes agitating device which is so constructed that it will retract or collapse to a position where it will not interfere with the operation of the diaphragm.

Another object is to provide a fluid impeller for said apparatus which may be automatically collapsed or retracted by movement of the squeeze diaphragm.

Another object is to provide washing apparatus in which the impeller is moved by the clothes squeezing diaphragm to an inoperative position and the oscillating stroke is governed and stopped by such movement. Further objects will be apparent in the following disclosure.

Referring to the drawing which illustrate preferred embodiments of this invention:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section, with parts in elevation, of one modification of a combination cleansing and squeezing apparatus having a collapsible fluid impeller;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the impeller of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail of the automatically collapsible impeller, with the collapsed position shown in dotted outline;

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail showing how the diaphragm is mounted in position;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section, partly in elevation, of a modification showing a retractable impeller;

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail showing the impeller of Fig. 5 in a retracted position during a clothes squeezing operation;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section of a machine similar to that of Fig. 1, but which has the agitating device retractably carried by the top of the casing;

Fig. 8 is a detail of the central revolvable portion of the squeeze plate, taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is a view, taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. '7 of the fluid impeller;

Fig. 10 is a vertical section of another modification having a vertically movable buoyant paddle which is oscillated rotatively through a variable stroke;

Fig. 11 is a top plan view, partially in section, of the paddle oscillating mechanism of Fig; 10, with the motor I and cover 52 removed, taken on the line Illl of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary rear View of a portion of the adjustable paddle oscillating 3 mechanism shown in Fig. and taken on the line 12- ofFig. 11; and

Fig. 13 is a section on the line l3-II of Fig. 10.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the washing and squeezing machine comprises a metal casing III which may be shaped substantially as a sphere, ellipsoid, parallelepipedon, or other shape, such as a cylinder with either a vertical or a horizontal axis. This casing serves as a tub within which an aqueous soap solution or a suitable dry cleaning organic compound, such as gasoline or perchlorethylene, may be held for the clothes cleansing operation. An imperforate flexible, elastic rubber diaphragm I2 is shaped as an upwardly opening cup or bag with its walls, when in an inoperative position, lying close to the side and bottom walls of the tub Ill. That is, if the tub is substantially square in horizontal cross section, then the cup is similarly square in cross section, or if the tub is hemispherical in its lower half, the diaphragm is similarly shaped. This diaphragm is suspended at its upper rim from a medial portion of the inside vertical wall of the casing Ill, and it is sealed at its line of suspension so that the fluid within the tub and diaphragm cup cannot escape to a position below the diaphragm. This diaphragm may be made of an elastic natural or synthetic rubber reinforced or not with textile cords or fabric which has the required strength, elasticity and resiliency, so that it may stretch or change in configuration as required when forced against the clothes by hydraulic pressure. Such a diaphragm structure may be made according to procedure that is well known in the industry.

During the clothes cleansing operation, the diaphragm hangs downwardly and is filled with the liquid; but when the clothes are to be squeezed, the diaphragm is forced upwardly by fluid pressure and causes the clothes to be pressed against an opposed wall, such as a perforated metal partition ll arranged across the top portion of the casing. This partition H may be suitably carried on or made integral with the inside of a cover I5, which is removably secured to the casing ID, as by means of a suitable hinge I6 and lock H. A flexible rubber gasket I8 is interposed between the cover and the top horizontal edge of the tub Ill to form a fluid seal. The perforated partition it may be arcuate or otherwise shaped so that the clothes within the tub may be pressed thereagainst for the fluid expressing operation, as shown in Fig. 6, and the holes through this partition are small and suitably spaced so that the clothes will not be .forced therethrough but the fluid may readily pass. This perforated partition it may be welded at its perimeter to the inner vertical wall of the cup shaped cover l5. An annular trough is formed between the casing wall and an inwardly flaring flange l9 integral with the tub. This trough serves to catch the fluid that is forced upwardly through the partition I! when the clothes are pressed thereagainst, and the fluid may escape from the trough through a downwardly extending valved exit pipe 20. The flange 19 may have a soft rubber gasket 2| secured on its rim and arranged to make a satisfactory contact with the under face of the partition I4 so as to prevent clothes from being squeezed outwardly between these two parts or otherwise injured.

To eifect the clothes squeezing operation, fluid under pressure is introduced through the inlet pipe at a point beneath the diaphragm. This fluid may be "derived from a suitable pump 24,

t. such as a centrifugal impeller pump. driven by a motor 26 of required characteristics, which may be a direct current or alternating current constant speed electric motor. A valved drain pipe 21 also communicates with the space between the diaphragm and the bottom of the tub for the removal of the pressure fluid. The outlet drain pipe 20 is also provided with two valves and communicates with the drain pipe 21, as shown. A by-pass pipe 28 connects the drain pipe 21 with the pressure pipe 25 and a pressure release valve 29 serves to relieve the pressure on the pump when the diaphragm resistance is too high.

A suitable washing fluid, such as water, may be introduced into the tub by means of the two inlet pipes 30 and 3| for hot and cold water, which communicate through an automatically operated, thermostatically controlled, temperature regulating, mixing valve 32 and a pipe 33 communicating suitably with the interior of the casing above the support for the diaphragm. This water or other fluid is removed from the casing by forcing the diaphragm upwardly, and the fluid may pass downwardly through the outlet pipe 20 and through the cross pipe 34 to the pump 24 for operating the diaphragm. Or water may be introduced through a valved inlet pipe 35 to provide the required supply of fluid for forcing the diaphragm upwardly. Proper manipulation of the indicated valves serves for operating the diaphragm and ultimately for emptying the tub.

The diaphragm I2 may be sealed at its peripheral rim to the vertical casing wall ID by one or more clamp strips 40 of the general type shown in Fig. 4. The clamp strip 40 has inturned upper and lower edges 4i arranged to be held against the casing and the diaphragm l2. The lower edge of the clamp grips the diaphragm adjacent to an enlarged bead 42 on the edge of the diaphragm. A set of draw bolts 44 are inserted through holes in the clamping strip 40, and nuts 45 on the draw bolts serve to draw the clamping strips 40 tightly against the diaphragm l2 and thus force the beaded head into a tight engagement with the inner wall of the casing. Suitable gaskets or other provisions may be made to prevent leakage of fluid. It is also feasible to vulcanize the end portion of the diaphragm to a metal strip. which is in turn riveted, welded or bolted to the casing wall. The inner faces of the casing adjacent to the diaphragm may be corrugated, or the diaphragm may have its outer face corrugated or provided with spaced ridges, buttons or knobs 46 which permit ready access of fluid between the diaphragm and the casing wall.

A primary feature of this invention involves incorporating a fluid agitating device in this apparatus. which will serve to move or agitate the cleansin fluid adequately and cause the clothes to be cleansed by the fluid currents and by frictionally rubbing against one another. Corrugations on the inner face of the diaphragm and the upper parts of the casing wall will also aid in scrubbing the clothes. This fluid agitation is accomplished by means of an immersed agitator located'on one or more of the walls of the casing and above the flexible squeeze diaphragm during the washing operation. One satisfactory form of impeller is a paddle wheel mounted on and positioned close to a vertical tub wall and revolved about a substantially horizontal axis. The form illustrated in Fig. 2 comprises a flat plate 50 having projecting fingers 5i arranged substantially radially throughout about one half of the plate.

. For an impeller which is 8" or 10" in diameter,

th fingers may be about 1" high and of a corresponding width. The other part of the impeller plate consists of a raised portion 52 having a sub-- stantially flat vertical face on a level with the tops of the fingers and whichsubtends about 180 of the entire circumferential area of the plate. This type of impeller gives a peculiar action in that the impeller fingers act somewhat intermittently to thrust the water downwardly in the general direction indicated by the arrows of Fig. l and thus to create a circulatory movement of the clothes within thetubl The impeller is so located and constructed that it will not interfere with the clothes squeezing operation, nor will it provide projecting edged surfaces which can in any way injure the clothes that are being squeezed. In the modification shown particularly in Figs. 1 and 3, the impeller is made of hollow, collapsiblaelastic or flexible rubber or-other suitable material which is so shaped that when inflated with a suitable fluid. it has the general configuration of the parts shown in full lines in th drawings. But when pressed by the diaphragm, the fingers 5i and the flat portion 5| take the positions shown approximately in dotted lines in Fig. 3 so that the rubber impeller, like a flattened glove, offers ver 1lttle obstruction to the movement of the clothes and the diaphragm past the same. As shown in the drawings, the impeller is mounted close to the side wall and with only the impelling fingers and associated parts projecting inside of the inner wall of the tub and diaphragm, so that when the diaphragm is forced upwardly under hydraulic pressure the impeller portions are caused to collapse and lie substantially flat against the plate 50 Whose outer face is substantially in the plane of the adjacent portion of the inner face of the vertical tub wall Hi. This plate 50 may be a circular or disc shaped metal member to which an edge portion 5d of the hollow inflatable rubber impeller is vulcanized. The plate 50 has a central opening 55 therethrough which communicates with a space within a cylindrical neck 55 that is welded to a hollow metal bellows 51. This bellows has its rear end wall engaged by a compression spring 59. The spring and bellows are contained within a hollow cylindrical casing 60, which is also welded integrally at its forward edge to the plate 50. The casing is rigidly secured to and driven by the shaft SI of a pulley 62 which is driven by a belt 63 from a suitable motor 64. Suitable provisions insure against leakage. If desired, the motor 64 may be the same as the motor 26 with a suitable clutch or other connecting mechanism between the motor and the pulley 62. The bellows 51 carries a fluid, such as oil, and the pressure of the spring 59 is such that the tendency to collapse the bellows holds the fingers of the im eller fully inflated and thus in an operative position during the cleansing or-washing operation. However, when the diaphragm is thrust upwardly to compress the clothes, the diaphragm is forced against the face of the impeller and because of its superior pressure, tends to force the fluid from the impeller fingers back into the metal bellows against the pressure of the compression spring. This permits the impeller fingers to collapse and lie substantially flat against the plate 50 and the side wall of the casing and in such position that the impeller parts cannot injure the clothes.

I may also employ a retractable impeller which may be held in position for washing and then moved back manually or automatically at the end of the washing step. This may be accomplished by means of a time controlled solenoid or a centrifugal or other mechanically operated device which holds the impeller in an operative position only while it is being revolved and retracts it when it stops rotating. In the construction illustrated in. Figs. 5 and 6, it is retracted by the superior pressure of the diaphragm and returns automatically when the pressure is diminished. In this construction the tub l0, which is shownas semi-circular in cross section at its lower half, has a diaphragm l2 suitably secured to the side Wall of the casing along its entire upper edge in the manner above described. This diaphragm may have corrugations or knobs 19 on its under side which prevent it from becomin sealed against the inner face of the tube and thus permit fluid to be introduced readily between the diaphragm and the tub wall it. The cover M is provided with the perforated squeeze plate or partition 15 similar to plate It above described. The diaphragm is moved by hydraulic pressure admitted through the pipe ll communicating with an impeller pump l8 which is driven by a suitably constructed andcontrolled electric motor 19. The annular trough formed by the inwardly sloping flange 8d and the upper casing wall connects with a downwardly extending valved outlet pipe Bl which communicates with a drain pipe 92 or through a cross connection 83 with the axial portion of the impeller pump whose vanes are arranged to driv the fluid centrifugally into pipe ll and beneath the diaphragm. Fluid may be admitted to the system through a pipe 951 or otherwise as desired. The by-pass pipe 82 and the various indicated valves provide for the required operation.

The fluid agitating device is a retractable impeller 9G shaped as shown in Fig. 2 but with'the fingers and plate portion rigid. It may be made either hollow or of solid material, such as metal or solid rubber with rounded corners. The rigid impeller is secured on a revolvable plate 9|, which in turn is carried by a shaft 92 passing through an opening in the bearing sleeve 93, a suitable gland being provided to prevent leakage. The shaft 92 is slidably keyed to a driving pulley 94, which in turn is driven by a belt connection from a motor 95 which may be the same as the motor 19 with a suitable clutch connection be tween the parts. The shaft 92 is rotatably mounted in suitable bearings 96 carried in a cylindrical recess in the sleeve 93. A compression spring 91 between a collar on the shaft and the rear wall of the recess holds the impeller in a forward and operating position. When the diaphragm I2 is forced upwardly, it engages the spring pressed retractable fluid 'impelling device and forces it into the recess formed by the countersunk wall H10 in the rear of the plate 9|.

This recess is deep enough so that, as shown particularly in Fig, 6, the impeller lies substantially wholly within the recess or behind the inner wallof the casing when the diaphragm presses thereagainst.

In the modification shown in Figs. '7, 8 and 9,

the clothes and fluid agitator is mounted on the top wall .of the casing. The agitator comprises four paddle blades or impellers lllll made of suitable material, such as' a hard rubber or metal. which are rigidly carried by ahub or sleeve llll.

- This fluid impeller is arranged to move under the influence of gravity to a lowermost position, determined by the bulk of the clothes in the tub,

where it engages and agitates them. When the diaphragm I02 is moved upwardly to squeeze the clothes against the perforated squeeze plate I04 the paddle is forced upwardly through suitably arranged slots past the squeeze plate and out of the way of the clothes during the squeezing operation. For this purpose, the squeeze plate I04, which is welded to the inner cover, is provided with a separate. freely rotatable, central plate portion I05 rotatably mounted within a circular hole in the outer plate. The inner plate I05 is held in position by means of lugs I06 adjacent the inner circular edge of the hole in the outer stationary plate portion I04, which thus provide a groove or track within which the plate I05 may rotate. The paddle blades I and the sleeve IOI, which are shaped as shown in Fig. 9, are arranged to pass upwardly through a central hole and slotted portion I08 (Fig. 8) in the plate I05. This slotted portion has the same cross sectional shape as the agitator and is slightly larger to provide a sliding fit. The slot may be lined with a rubber facing I09, so that the blades I00 and hub IOI will fit fairly closely in the plate and prevent the clothing from getting caught in the opening. The hub MI is keyed to the plate I by means of the key IIO (Fig. 9) so that the plate is-rotated or oscillated in accordance with the motion of the paddles I00. and thus the paddles are held in proper alignment with the slots I00 in the plate for passing upwardly therethrough under the pressure of the diaphragm. The blades I00 maintain a. keying association with the slot in the plate I05 when thrust upwardly to the topmost position indicated by the dotted outlines in Fig. 7. Both the inner rotatable plate I05 and the outer stationary plate portion I04 are provided with perforations I I2 which serve for the passage of fluid during the squeezing or extracting process.

The fluid impeller I00, IN is supported and rotatively driven by means of telescoping connections suspended from the top cover wall II4 which is hinged at I I5 to the casing Hi. This drive connection comprises a vertical drive shaft III! which is keyed into a sleeve I20, and the latter is in turn inserted into and keyed within the hollow sleeve or hub IOI of the paddle. This keyed connection is formed by means of a vertical key slot I 2I in the shaft H8 which carries the key I22 on the sleeve I20. Likewise, the hub or sleeve I0l has a key I23 at its upper end which slides in the key slot I24 of the intermediate sleeve I20. It will be seen that each key slot terminates short of the end of the piece in which the key is located, and thus each key can move downwardly only to the end of the slot and the blades I00 are held in their lowermost positions by this keying arrangement.

The shaft I I8 is suspended by means of suitable radial bearings I24 and an enlarged head I25 resting on the top of the bearing structure. The head I25 is in turn keyed into a drive gear I25, and the latter is given an oscillative rotatlve movement by means of the rack bar I21 that is pivotally connected to a crank or drive plate I29 secured on the lower end of the shaft I 30 of the reduction or gear head motor I32 that is suitably mounted in a'vertical axis position on the top of a supplemental casing I 33 carrier by the machine cover. This motor may be of standard construction, such as a direct current or alternating current constant speed motor operated through the reduction gear mechanism-to drive the rack bar and reciprocate the paddles at a. required slow speed for agitating the clothes without iniuring the same. The rack bar construction is such as to oscillate the paddles through a desired angle, such as 210.

The construction of this machine may be otherwise as described above. It comprises the thermostat valve controlled fluid inlet I 36 for hot and cold water or other desired cleansing fluid. An outlet pipe I30 serves as an overflow to remove the fluid that is driven upwardly through the squeeze plate I04, I05. The annular baille I39 which is secured to the wall of the casing II6 below the outlet pipe I38 provides a trough for the conveyance of the water from above the squeeze plate to the outlet pipe. The outer plate I04 may be suitably welded to the walls of the cover or otherwise held rigidly in position against the diaphragm pressure. The flexible squeeze diaphragm I02 is mounted on the casing wall by means of the clamp plate I40 as above described. The space below the diaphragm I02 is connected with a drain through the valved pipe I42, and the pipe I43 is likewise connected with a pump mechanism of the type described above which serves to thrust the diaphragm upwardly at the end, of the washing operation.

It will thus be seen that in this construction, as in the construction of Fig. 5, I have provided a paddle which retracts into a recess out of the way of the clothes when the diaphragm is operated to remove the water. A series of ribs I44 may be located on the inner bottom wall of the tub I I6 and radiate from the water inlet pipe I43 so as to serve to transmit the water readily to all adjacent portions of the diaphragm and cause the latter to move fairly uniformly in its upward travel. The diaphragm may, if desired, be provided with ribs on its inner face which aid in the clothes cleansing operation.

In the modification shown in Figs. 10 to 13, inclusive, the fluid agitator I50 is made hollow and gas filled so'that it is buoyant and will float in an almost submerged position within the cleansing fluid. If the housewife places only a few garments in the machine with the required amount of water, the ratio of which is usually considered to be 3.8 gallons of water to 1 pound of clothing, then the water level would be mate-' rially below the agitator if provision were not made for lowering it. Thus, by using a buoyant floating agitator or fluid impeller, this agitator may be kept in proper association with the clothes and fluid irrespective of the amount of fluid in the tub. If the agitator were moved always through a fixed angle, then a stroke that would be suitable for a tub full of water would be over violent for a'small amount of water. Also, the garment usually washed in a small amount of water is delicate and should be washed gently. Hence a variable stroke is desirable.

Various constructional features may be employed for this purpose. For examplathe agitator or impeller which may be shaped substantially as shown in Figs. 10 and 13 comprises a hollow structure of metal, plastic or hard rubber which forms a sealed chamber filled with a gas, such as air. The upper portion of the paddle structure is hollow above the central hub portion I5I and so provides a large chamber for holding the buoyant gas. The assembly of four paddles is carried on the lower end of an extension I52 of the hub. This extension I52 has a longitudinal that is welded to the lower inside wall of the cover. The paddles are prevented from falling downwardly through the plate IN by means of a pin I56 which engages an inner rim portion of the circular plate Id when the paddles have reached their lowermost position.

The buoyant paddle structure is carried on and oscillated by a shaft I51 fixed thereto. This shaft I51 is keyed to a driving spool I58. This spool I59 is oscillated by a special mechanism of the general type shown in the patents to Oakley #2,225,249 of December 17, 1940, and Straus et al. #2,2'75,698 of March 10, 1942. It comprises a driving motor and reduction gear mechanism I60 which rotates a crank or drive plate I6I suitably secured on the lower end of the motor shaft I76 within a housing I62 located above the cover I633 of the washing machine. As explained in said patents, a reciprocable drivingmember I66 has a wedge-shaped taper of about 7?, and the driving spool IE8 is provided with a similar recessed annular taper, so that the two parts have a wedging and driving engagement when the drive member I64 is held tightly within the V slot of the spool. The drive member I66 is reciprocated through a fixed distance, and the angular oscillation of the spool I58 and the associated paddles I56 depends upon the extent ofengagement of the member I 64 with the spool. To change the driving stroke and therefore vary the angle of oscillation of the paddles from a maximum, such as 210", to a minimum of zero, adjustment of the position of the drive member I66, or its wedging action, is effected by a finger block I65 having two fingers slidably engaging grooves in the top and rear surface of the drive member I66. This finger block I65 has an opening carrying a resilient rubber bushing I 6'! which serves to provide spring pressure to hold V drive members in a resilient driving engagement. This rubber bushing is pivotally mounted on the depending portion of a rock arm I68, which is pivoted on a shaft I69 suitably mounted on the top of the housing I62. The position of, the rock shaft I69 is controlled by a lever arm I'I'Il which forms a bell crank with the arm I68. Thus, if the bell crank is rocked to move the drive bar I64 slightly away from the V groove of thelspool, then a portion of the reciprocating stroke of the drive member is made inoperative. When the drive member I64 is farthest removed from the pulley, then all oscillating motion of the paddles is stopped, and when the drive member is moved inwardly into tight engagement with the spool, then the paddles are reciprocated throughout the entire angle determined by the radius of the crank plate I6I.

This movement of the bell crank may be effected by-manual operation to determine the stroke of the paddles. However, according to the present invention, this stroke is so controlled that when but a small amount of fluid is present in the tub. the paddles will reciprocate through a minimum angle and that angle will increase as the fluid level is raised. This is effected automatically by means of a taperingor conical cam on the top of the rotating shaft I51. The

III

cam is engaged by the contact arm IIll which is a part of the bell crank lever mounted on the rock shaft I69. Th'e cam has such a length and taper that when the tub is filled with fluid to the usual maximum level, there will be a maximum oscillation of the paddles. As the paddles are lowered, the arm I10 rides against a cam portion of increasingly smaller diameter and thus decreases the oscillation of the paddles. The cam length is such that its lower end I16 passes out of contact with the rock arm I10 when the paddles I66 are raised to a position above the normal effective one of agitating the water, or when the paddles are moved upwardly by the squeeze diaphragm I16 suitably mounted in the bottom of the tub. Thus the oscillation of the paddles is stopped by the upward movement of the diaphragm before the paddles pass through the squeeze plate lat; and this prevents injury to the clothes when the diaphragm is exerting any material pressure thereagainst. A spiral spring IIB suitably mounted on the under side of the housing I62 serves to hold the bellcrank lever in contact with the cam I'M at all times. The remaining structure of the washing machine and squeeze apparatus may be as above described with reference to the other figures.

The operation of each of the devices hasbeen made fully apparent in view of the above disclosure. In brief, each construction has an impeller so arranged that the diaphragm is not impeded in its clothes squeezing operation when forced upwardly by means of hydraulic pressure. In the modifications of Fig, l, the impeller is caused to collapse to an inoperative condition and position; while in the constructions of Figs. 5, 7 and 10, the impeller is automatically retracted to a position where it cannot. interfere with the clothes squeezing operation. In each construction, the impeller is mounted on a wall of the casing above the cup-shaped diaphragm, and it is so constructed and arranged that the clothes are agitated in a circulatory movement within the casing for a normal washing operation. As shown in Fig. 6, the clothes are squeezed against the perforated plate I5 by the rubber diaphragm I2, and the latter will of course take on such configuration as is required by the particular shapes and locations of the clothes thereabove. The hydraulic pressure required to squeeze the clothes maybe made as high as desired within the capacity of the impeller pump and the necessity for not injuring the clothes by too heavy a pressure. It may also be observed that this construction is such that the hot wash water is stored beneath the diaphragm during the clothes squeezing operation, and it may be returned for reuse by suitable valved pipes and pump mechanism. That is, a valved cross pipe may be arranged to connect the pump pipe 25 with the vertical portion of pipe 20 of Fig. 1, and a valve placed in the vertical pipe below the cross connection and above pipe 34. Another valve is placed in the drain pipe 21 below the horizontal portion of this pipe. Another valve is arranged to prevent fluid passing upwardly through pipe 25 to the space beneath the diaphragm. The fluid is drawn downwardly through pipe 21 and then forced upwardly through pipe 26 to the top of the tub.

Various modifications may be made in this construction, as will now be apparent. This apparatus may be operated and controlled by automatic timing mechanism, which introduces cleansing fluid, washes and squeezes the clothes and removes the fluid in required cycles. Hence it will be appreciated that the above disclosure is intended to explain the principles of this inventherebelow forming a washing and clothes squeezing chamber, means for moving the diaphragm to squeeze clothes against the partition and a clothes washing device mounted on a tub wall independently of the diaphragm which has a fluid impeller movable froman operative to an inoperative impelling relationship with said fluid and to a position where it does not materially interfere with the squeezing movement of the diaphragm.

2. Laundry apparatus comprising a tub, a cup shaped, elastic, impervious diaphragm suspended at its edge on the inner periphery of the tub and arranged to hold clothes and cleansing fluid while in a pendent inoperative position, a perforated partition above the diaphragm against which clothes may be squeezed, hydraulic means for movin the diaphragm upwardly and squeezing the clothes against the partition, and a rotary device having a fluid agitating blade which is movable from an operative to an inoperative impelling relationship with said fluid and to a position where is does not materially interfere with the squeezing movement of the diaphragm.

3. Laundry apparatus according to claim 1 in which the agitator comprises a collapsible impeller whichis collapsed by the pressure of the diaphragm to a position where it does not ob struct materially the clothes squeezing movement.

4. Laundry apparatus comprising a tub having a pervious wall, an elastic impervious diaphragm mounted at its edge on the inner periphery of the tub and arranged to squeeze clothes against said pervious wall, a clothes agitator mounted on a wall of the tub in the path of movement of the diaphragm and arranged for impelling fluid within the tub, said agitator having a collapsible paddle blade formed of hollow flexible material which collapses under the diaphragm pressure to a formation which does not interfere materially with the clothes squeezing operation, and means for yieldingly applying pressure which urges the blade to a distended fluid impelling formation.

5. Laundry apparatus comprising a tub for clothes and a cleansing fluid, a rotary paddle mounted on a wall of the tub in position to agitate the clothes, said paddle having a hollow, flexible and collapsible clothes agitating blade, means for yieldingly applying pressure to the interior of the blade and holding it in an operative position forclothes agitation, an elastic, impervious diaphragm mounted at its edge on an inner peripheral wall of the tub, a perforated partition opposed thereto, and means for applying fluid 1 pressure to move the diaphragm and squeeze clothes between it and said partition, said and arranged to hold clothes and cleansing fluid while in a pendant inoperative position, a perforated partition above the diaphragm against which clothes may be squeezed, hydraulic means for moving the diaphragm upwardly and squeezing the clothes against the partition, a rotary device having a fluid agitating blade which is mounted on a wall of the tub outside of the pendant cup-shaped diaphragm, and means whereby said impeller blade may be retracted to an inoperative position where it does not interfere with the clothes squeezing operation.

8. Laundry apparatus according to claim 7 in which the tub wall has a recess and the agitator is mounted for retraction into said recess, and the agitator is urged to an operative fluid impelling position outside of the recess.

9. Laundry apparatus comprising a tub, a cupshaped, elastic, impervious diaphragm suspended at its edge on the inner peripheral wall of the tub, a rotary fluid impeller mounted above and independently of the diaphragm, a perforated partition above the diaphragm and impeller which has an opening through which the impeller may be moved upwardly to a position where it will not interfere with the squeezing of the clothes against the partition by the diaphragm, and hydraulic means for moving the diaphragm upwardly to squeeze the clothes.

10. Laundry apparatus according to claim 9 in which at least the central portion of the partition is mounted for rotation, and the impeller is keyed thereto, whereby the impeller may pass through the partition for any rotative position thereof.

11. Laundry apparatus comprising a tub for holding clothes and cleaning fluid, a wall of the tub having an outwardly projecting recess, a rotatable agitator mounted on the wall and movable axially into and out of the recess, means for rotating the paddle to agitate the fluid, and means for yieldingly urging the agitator to a fluid agitating position which provides for retraction of the paddle into the recess under an excessive pressure applied thereto. a

12. Laundry apparatus comprising a tub for cleansing fluid, a cup-shaped elastic, impervious diaphragm mounted within the tub, a perforated partition opposed to the diaphragm, fluid pressure means for moving the diaphragm to squeeze clothes against the partition, a fluid agitating impeller mounted within the tub for movement by the diaphragm from an operative to an inoperative impelling relationship with said fluid and to a position where it does not materially interfere with the squeezing movement of the diaphragm, means for oscillating the impeller, and means governed by said movement of the impeller towards aminoperative position which stops the impeller oscillation.

TAYLOR P. CALHOUN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Graham Sept. 17, 1946 

